THIS ISSUE: Negotiation lessons from the car dealership | Stop trying to sound smart when you're writing | Confronting dishonesty at its core

Negotiation lessons from the car dealership

When you think of the word “negotiating” do you immediately think of the predator-prey scenario? In a previous article, I used the “pie” metaphor to look at salary negations as an opportunity for each party to get the most from the pie without feeling like there has to be a “winner” and a “loser.” In this week’s article, I put my own theory to the test in a negotiation scenario that's often as daunting: car buying.

The old-school negotiation model of making a bid, getting a counter offer, and zig-zagging back and forth in the hopes of coming out with a “fair” deal can be draining— both financially and emotionally. This time, I chose to begin with expressing what was important to me as a buyer (even beyond price), asking the salesman what was important to him. Find out how this new-school approach to negotiating turned out for me and how it can leave you with better deals and a feeling of mutual success.

Stop trying to sound smart when you’re writing

The irony of good and effective writing is that it makes itself unknown. Meaning, if you’re reading an email and you’re conscious of the fancy words or confounded by the statistics, chances are that email has missed the mark.

In this article for Harvard Business Review, Liane Davey offers some great advice on how to make your workplace emails less about the writing and more about the results. Thinking about the purpose of the email, expressing your interpretation of statistics or facts, and being clear about the desired action you wish to elicit are important to consider when constructing a workplace memo or email. You may be proud of your multisyllabic lexicon and your keen use of semicolons, but your colleagues will much more appreciate your getting to the point.

Confronting dishonesty at its core

No one likes being lied to. Although, according to research, many of us do engage in some form of lying on a daily basis. Usually it’s in the form of” little white lies” like when your friend or colleague asks “How do you like my new haircut?”

But, the truth is not all lies are created equal and neither are the effects of those lies. When it comes to truthfulness in your work life, If you’re dealing with a colleague or team member who you know is lying, it can make for a tricky workplace situation. In this article for Democrat and Chronicle, Beth Sears, PhD provides some insight on how to detect a lie, how to assess its potential harm, and how best to handle the situation.